Display apparatus.



I. J OWEN. DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIOH FILED FEB. 10, 1908' Patented June 8, 1909.

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1; J. OWEN. D'ISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1908.

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5; h w w v 13 113 ff 1l 1', J. OWEN DISPLAY APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1908.

3 T E E E S n B T E E H S 4 LJ. OWEN. DISPLAY APPARATUS.

AIPLIUATION FILED FEB 10, 1908.

Patented June 8, 1909.

v UNITED STATES PATENT orrion IRA I. ownn, or OAK PARK, ILIIJINOIS, AssIoNon or ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM o. BELT, or

- oIIIoAeo, ILLINOIS.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

No. 924,370. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 8, 1909.

Application filed February 10, 1908. Seria1No.415,103.

To all. whom, it mayconcemy frame to the chain. Fig. 13 shows a me- Be it known that 1, Ian J. Owns, a citizen chanical card. Figs. 14 and show means of the United States, residing at Oak Park, for illuminating a transparent card. Fig. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, 16 is a sectional view on the line 16-46 of .5 have invented new and useful Improvements Fig. 13. Fig. 17 is a sectional view on the in Display Apparatus, .of which the follow.- 1 1 1 17-47 of Fig- 14- ing is a specification. I The invention can beembodied in a carrier The object of this invention is primarily frame of anysuitable form and construction to provide an apparatus of simple construcb t I have found that it can be very conven- 5; tion and compact-form to display a plur l ty iently arranged In an oblong frame. 1 having as l allelielation all times and especially at advertisements" or other matter j while moving In regular order through a specifiedpath of'travel, the cards being'maintained in parmetal (Figs. 2, 5). An upper sprocket chain 2 and a lowersprocket chain 3 are arranged totravel in the carrier frame on sprocket wheelssuitably disposed along the top and 7e the ends of the path of travel when the card O Om 0f aid fram Th e W rrier moving into and out'ofdispla-y position." Chains are o qual-length but they are ar- A th bj ct f th j ti i t ranged in staggered relation to each other,. hence the attractiveness: and advertising that is to saythe right end sprocket at for f r t 'ml\d t, h b1e card b aring \channeled sides and ends and made of light l value of the cards by rov ding 'foractuat the lower chain 1S located at a distance be- 75 ing mechanical cards and illuminating trans: yond the right end sprocket 5 for the-upper parent, cards. chain (Fig; 4) and the left end sprocket '6 My invention i ca able of us in stre tv for the upper chain is located at 'a discars, stores, restaurants, railway stations and tance beyond the left end sprocket 7 for the other places where advertising cards are now lower chain (Fig. 2). These end sprockets so or may be displayed, and the cards may be are supported on the carrier frame In any moved through a path oftravel extending suitable manner and intermediate idle ina vertical, horizontal or any other desired prockets 7 are located at intervals along the direction. carrier frame to guide and keep the chains For the purpose of explaining the contaut. One or more pairs of these idle s5 ing both ends of the apparatns but with'the struction, arrangement and operation of my prockets 7 are mounted on a shaft 8 (Fig. invention in one embodiment thereof, 1 have t) whereby motion is communicated from shown it arranged in a street car in the acthe driving chain to the other chain and companyingdrawings in whichthereby both chains are kept moving in uni- Figur e iisa vertical sectional view show son. Power may be applied to one of the 9. ing the interiofefthe upper portion of a chains in any suitable manner and in the street car with my invention embodied theredrawings I have shown the lower chain 5 in. Fig. 2 is an enlarged-horizontal sec- \to be the driving chain and the shaft 9 of tional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showthe end sprocket 1 extended through the carrier frame and carrying a sprocket 1 9'1 middle portion'removed. Fig. 3 15 a detail l which receives the power chain 11. Instead diagrammatic view showing several posiof the chain 11 the sprocket 1 may be suittionsof a card at the left end of the appaably geared or OthGIWlSE arranged to be ratus as it; re 'res from display position. driven electrically or by a spring motor, 4 Fig. 4. is'an e larged vertical sectional view gravity mechanism or other means and the of the right end of the apparatus. Fig. 5 power may be applied continuously or interis a sectional view on, the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Inittently in any suitable manner, this form- Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a card ing no part of my present invention.

' The cards 12 are separate and independent frame. Figs-'7 and 8 are detail VleWS of the V 5 chain. Fig. Qis a detail view showing a from each other and are detachably arranged frame designed to carry a card of double inskeleton frames 13 (Fig.6) provided at top the usual length. Fig. 10 is a perspective and bottom with grooves 14 to receive the view showing a card frame adjustably conedges of -the cards. These frames have a I -nected'tothe chains, Figs.'11 nd 12 show swivel connection at the upper left hand another manner of connecting the card Lcorner and at the lower right hand corner 11 with the upper and lower chains, re- I rear to frontat the other end of the frame, spectively, and for this purpose the card for it ,will be understood that when the card frame is provided with socket posts 15 to reaches the one end of the frame it will move receive pivot studs 16 on the chains. The forward, as the swivel studs pass around 5 swivel points on the card frame may be vathe sprockets, in like manner,but in the re 70 riously located on the opposite edges of the verse direction tothe movement at the other frame but they must bear essentially the end of the frame. same diagonal relation to each other that the The swivel studs are detachably connected axes of the sprockets at each end of the earto the chains so that they can be adjusted to rier frame bear to each other. In Figs. 7 proper position for the card frames. Or 75 and 8 I have shown one form of stud which instead of moving the studs a sufiicient numcomprises a pin 16, screwed into a link of her thereof may be permanently carried by the chain and carrying a loose sleeve 16. the chains to enable any changes in position of the card frames or the cards as occasion requires. 1

may use cards of a standard length to accommodate which the card frames are constructed, or the cards may be of double length, as indicated by the card 12' (Fig.

t will be necessary, of course, that the 8-5 card frame should be provided with its swivel connections to the chains at the same points at all times whether a card of ordinary, length, of half length, or of double ength is carried by the card frame, but a 90 15 1 post will lock the sleeve 16 in the socket of thepost to secure the card frame in fixed position on the chains but at the same time permitting thepins 16 to turn within the sleeves as the chains travel around the end sprockets in the carrier frame.

-Inthe apparatus illustrated in the drawings the cards are indisplay position while theyare traveling from right to left of the carrier frame, each card frame having a swivel connection at its-upper left hand corner to the upper chain and at its lower right hand corner to the lower chain. The card 30 end of the carrierframe beyond the lower a left it Will move backward from front to rear by he projecting ends of the double length 100 i in t e carrier frame as the swivel studs card and also permit the double length card 1le it is thus retiring at the endof the the. right end of the carrier frame in the detravel fromright to left into position to besired manner. I may provide a special 40 gin its travel from left toright in the carcard frame 17 (Fig. 9) to carry a double 105 rier frame the card frame will maintain its length or two ordinar Y length or several position in parallelism with all the other smallencards but as before stated the swivel and frames so that the card will be'in plain connections with the c nuns must be located view until it proceeds on its return travel from left to right.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a card diagrammatically in several positions at the left end of the frame. In this figure a indicates the card as it approaches and a the card after it has reached its position at the end of its "travel from right to left; a" shows the card as it is retiring from front to (rear; (1" the relative positions as they would be on the frame for ordinary cards.

The card frames 13 (Fig. 6) heretofore de; scribed and the double card frame 1-7 (Fig.

studs on the chains and secured thereto by set disconnection, but this isnot believed to be necessary under ordinary conditions. These card frames 13 and 17 are detachable from the chains and are intended to \be detached its travel back to initial position at the ri ht to facilitate the insertion and removal of i cards and for read ustment relative to adjacent card frames. In Fig; 10 I have shown a card frame which is intended to be permanently conneeted with the chains and is adjustable lengthwise relative to the chains. This card frame 18 is provided with the usual grooves 18 for t e card and has at top and bottom a flange 19. These flanges have slots 19 to re- 55 left to right and a indicates the card on every intermediate position, the card is 0 maintained in parallelism with the other cards. If the apparatus-is arranged have tained in a vertical'position while retiring at 65 one end of the frame and. while moving from .55 of mechanical vnards,

ceive, swivel studs 20 on the chains 21. and the frames are secured in adjusted position to the chains by nuts 20 v In Figs. 11 and 12 I haveshown 5 form of swivel connection in w frame 22 is. provided withan ear ceive a swivel stud 24: carried by a plate fastened to the chain, the frame cured in place on the stud by a nut 26; i

The cards are moved by the chains along the display path of travel and are then, one

at a time and-without changing 23 to rebeing sethe return path of travel are in like manner switched tothe display path again, this operation being continued as long as the carrier chains are in motion. The cards are separate from and independent of each other and are-detachablefrom the cardframes,whereby theymay be quently changed and are capable of a high degree and a variety of artistic printing, coloring and ornamentation, which contributes tothe attractivenessofthe display. But theunost vention from advert sing is constantly moving throughout the length of the carrier fr r switched put of and into dis lay positio at the-ends of the display pa of travel in a smooth an regular manner "withot disclosing any of the mechanism of the apparatus an out necessi manipulation of the card' and which would tend to-attractvthe attention of the observer, 4

movementthusdestroying-the nniformityof of the cards and taking: the observersattem tion away from the advertisements on the 4 cards. With my invention the movement 0 the cards is uniform throughout and entirely free from; any manipulation -which would tend to render the cards unreadable or. them in an awkward or unusu while still remainingin sight. As heretofore stated thecards are all maintained in parallelism at all times so that any card may be read as easily while it is retir ing and before it has passedbehind the card in front of it as-it can be when in the middle of the-display path of travel. It also of especial importance to provide for the use of cards of different length for some advertisers will buy more space than others in order to make a. greater display of their advertisement. This also" enhances the attractiveness o the general display, and, as has been pointed out heretofore, cards of different length can be used with my inven-' 'tion without requiring card framesofgspecial size and only necessitating the adjustment of adjacent frames so that' the cards will not overla I may prov-ice for the use of .any nu nber thatisto say a card 25 the blacksmiths arm their parallelism with-the other cards, switched to" from which they attractive feature-of the 1111-" astandpoint of commercial the fact that the cards are wit tatmg aturning or tiltingoriother spring euit.

frontal path the drains may vnnove the cards in a vertical or inany other having amovable part thereon and which are more or less familiar. 13 and one of these mechanical cards-and the manner of its operation. This smith at his anvil and a part 27 representing carries a representation of a hammer 27. and is pivoted at '28 on'the front of the card. A trigger 29 concard, i is arranged to strike a tripper 30,

i A spring 30 is fastened to the card a iid the trigg cred position with the hammer apparently engaging the anvil. When the card in moving along carries per 30 the arm 27 and the hammer 27 will e swung upward as shown the anvil andas soon as the trigger passes the tripper 30 the spring will return the arm movement takes place very quickly and may be repeated as often as desired by providing The cards may be made of transparent material and tween the paths of travel at any desired points to illuminate the cards or any number This may be accomplished very simply an easily by supporting one or more descent electric lights frame between the paths of travel and cona suitable manner with any electric provided if necessary. Elongated spring 34 are arranged in circuit with the frame is arrange to enter between the contacts 34 to complete the light cirquently as desiredalong the carrier frame so thatthe transparent cards will be repeatously illuminated if desired.

While the invention is particularly adaptcards of this kind have for so long bQGlLllSGCl 1 15 in street cars it can obviously be used with the in any place where advertising cards have or may in stores, inrestaurants, in railway stations,

' buildings, or in some position on the public streets an readily understood that if two cards are put displayed from either side of the frame if M the apparatus is arranged so that the frame nd instead of having the cards travel in a hori- In Figs.

16 I have shown card bears a picture representing a black- 70 nected with the pivot pin 28, behind ihe mounted in the carrier frame 1 (B er to hold the arm 27 normally in lowthe trigger into engagement with the tri in Fig. 13 carrying the hammer away from and hammer to lowered position. his

aisuita le number, of trippers 30.

electric lights arranged eof them as they pass in front of the lights.

' 31 within the carrier necting them in light wires 32, a resistance 33 be ng lights 31 and a sliding contact 35 on a card 105 These lights may be ocated as .fre-

edly or, to all intents and purposes, continued for use in street cars because advertising same efi'eotiveness an in the same manner be-displayed, such as, for example,

or on the outside of d it will be in each frame, back to back, they. will be can be observed from both sides. A

be arranged to may be observed direction The arrangement is such that th lIlS mav be moved in either direction hanges and for this 5. In a display apparatus, the combination of a pair of endless carriers arranged in staggered position and parallel relation, said carriers in unison,

carriers and connected at diagonally op site points to both of tierewith.

6. In a display apparatus, of a pair of endless carriers arranged in staggered position and parallel relation, means for moving. said carriers in unison, and a card frame connected at diagonally opposite corners to both of said carriers to travel therewith.

0- eonnection it said carriers to travel e carrier frame e other. In this 7 that th while desirable is not an absolutely element of the invention for the 'f not required to i only provided to give a finish-and completeness to the apparatus and form the support for the sprockets and other parts. The reae frame is not necessary for the tion in th the combination In a display apparatus, the combination.

cards are earned between and by't e chains 0 a pair of end ess carriers arranged in and spend for their movement entirely staggered position and parallel relation upon the movement of the c ains. The means for moving said carriers in unison 0 frame does conceal the chains and the and a card frame havinga swivel connection sprockets, it constitutes, the support for the at one corner with one carrier and a similar sprockets, the trippers and the lights and connection at the diagonally opposite corner gives a finish to the apparatus, for which with the other carrier to travel tierewith reasons the frame is a desirable element of 8. In a display apparatus, the combination 5 the invention. p of a pair of endless carriers arran ed in hat I claim and desirev to secure by saggered position and parallel re ation, Letters Patent is: I means for moving said carriers in unison, a In a display apparatus, the combinacard frame, and a connection between said tion of a plurality of card frames arranged card frame and each of sai carriers at diag- 0 end to end, and means connected to the onally opposite points on the frame, each of l card frames at diagonally opposite corners sai connections comprising astud member thereof for moving said card frames foran a socket member to receive said stud ward in one plane and hac in a parallel member. gplane and bodily from one plane to the 9. In a display apparatus, the combination 5 other at each end of said paths ofmovement of a pair of endless carriers arranged in and constantly maintaining the cards in staggered position and parallel relation, parallel planes. means for moving said carriers in unison, a In a display apparatus, the combinacard frame, and a connection between said tionof a pair of endless carriers arranged card frame and each of said carriers at diagin staggered position and traveling in paronally opposite points on the frame, each of allel pat s, means for moving said carriers said connect ons comprising a stud member, l in 11I11SOI1, and a card frame connected to a sleeve loosely mounted on said stud inemboth of said carriers to travel bodily there ber, a socket member to receive-said sleeved with in a path corresponding to the paths stu member and a set screw operating 5 of travel of the carriers. through said socket member to engage said In a display apparatus, the combinasleeve. tion of a pair of endless carriers arranged 10. In a display apparatus, the combinain staggered position and traveling'in partion of a pair of en less chains arranged'in allel paths, means for moving Sit-ltlCtIIlGIS staggered position and parallel relation, 0 in unison, and a card frame connected to means for moving said chains in unison, a bot of sai carriers at points dia onall plurality of pivot studs on said chains, the opposite each other to travel bodily with studs of x-IIG chain being arranged in stag- 1e carriers in a path corresponding to the gered relation to the studs on the other paths of travel of the carrier chain, a plurality of card frames, and socket 5 4. In a display apparatus, the combinamembers at diagonally opposite points on tion of a pair of endless carriers arranged said card frames to engage pivot studs on in staggered position and traveling in parthe chains. A allel paths, means for moving said carriers 11. In a display apparatus, the combinain unison, and a card frame arranged betion of an endless carrier, a card traveling 0 tween said carriers and pivotally connected with said carrier, a movable part on said to both of said carrier-sat points on its side card, a trigger connected to said movable edges diagonally opposite each other to part, and a tripper arranged in the path of travel bodily with the carriers in a ath said trigger to engage the same and swin corresponding to the paths of travel of the said movable part. carriers. a the combina- In a display apparatus,

tion of a pair of endless carriers arranged in 'cuit, a lamp in said eireuit adjacent to thep staggered position and traveling in parallel path of travel of the card, apair of sprmg 7 pat s, means for moving said earners in contactsinsaidcireuit, anda sliding contaet 25 unison, a card frame connected to both oi traveling with the card to engage said spring a movement of the trigger toehgage'the same card frame pivotally connected at opposite said carriers to travel bodily therewith in 9. contacts and complete the circuit.

path corresponding to the paths-of travel of 15.111 a display A paratus, the combinathe carriers, a card carried by said card tionof a pair of end ess chains arranged in frame, a movable part on said card, a spring sta%gered position and traveling in parallel 30 holding saidniovable part normallyin one pat s sprocket wheels at the terminals of position, a trigger connected to said movable said paths and npon :lllCll the chains travel, part, and a trlpper arranged in the pathof means for moving said chains in unison, a

and swing said movable part, edgesto said chains, the pivot points of said 5 13. In a display apparatus, the combinacard frame being diagonally located and tion of an endless carrier, a transpareht'oai? bearing the same. relation to each other that traveling with said carrier, an electric light the centers of the sprocket wheels at each en 1 circuit, a neans trave with said earof the paths of travel bear to each other. I'lel for closing the circuit, substantially as A OWERA v and for the (pur ose descn Y 14. In a is ay apparatusythe combina- Witnesses. tlOIl of an endless carrier, a transparent card Wu. 0. Bnur,

carried by said carrienan else no light eir M. AaKniDm; 

